Batman: Arkham City - Catwoman Combat and Challenge Guide
Contents:
1. Version History
2. Introduction
3. Catwoman vs. Batman move list
4. Analysis of new or different moves
5. Combat differences summary
6. Enemy strategy differences
7. Combat Challenges special notes
8. Predator Challenges special notes
9. Story Mode walkthrough
10. Copyright and contact info
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1. Version history
0.9 : First version.
0.91: Corrected Bat Swarm damage error.
0.92: Noted blue claw marks
0.97: Added 3/4 of section 9: Story Mode walkthrough
1.0 : Finished Story Mode walkthrough; various corrections
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2. Introduction
Catwoman is available as DLC for Batman: Arkham City. The DLC package adds
four Catwoman chapters to the main story, plus the ability to play as Catwoman
in the Combat and Predator Challenges and Campaigns. This guide assumes you
are familiar with playing the game as Batman and focuses on what is different
for the Catwoman experience. In general, Catwoman makes for a harder game.
She is faster than Batman, much faster for a few moves, but is more fragile and
is missing a few important moves. For an excellent discussion of combat
mechanics in general, head over to AbaddonOnion2's Combat Mechanics Guide. I
will avoid plot spoilers except in the Story Mode walkthrough.
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3. Catwoman vs. Batman move list
The combat engine for Catwoman is the same as for Batman, so she mostly has
similar moves. This list compares their two movesets. Note that Catwoman has
fewer moves total, leaving blanks in her list. New or altered moves will be
considered in detail later in the section. In general, Catwoman is faster than
Batman, unless otherwise noted you can assume all of her moves are just a
little bit faster.
This list was created for the XBOX 360; the controls work the same for a
Playstation 3. Y=Triangle, X=Square, A=X, B=O. LS and RS are Right and Left
(analog) Stick. RT (R1) and LT (L1) are Left and Right Trigger. RB (R2) and
LB (L2) are Right and Left Bumper.
Buttons | Catwoman | Batman | Differences
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MISCELLANEOUS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
X | Strike | Strike | Enemy armament
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LB | Thief Vision | Detective | Many
| | Mode |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RB | Claw Climb | Grapple | Many
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RB (near | Ceiling Climb | --- | Batman is missing this move;
mesh ceiling) | | | offers unique Instant Takedowns
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RT | Crouch | Crouch | Possibly
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RT+A (near | Climb Down | Climb Down | Catwoman's is whip-assisted and
ledge or | | | has much greater range;
Ceiling-Climb | | | can transition to Ceiling Climb
walkway) | | |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RT+A (near | Enter Grate | Enter Grate |
floor grate) | | |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A (in grate) | Exit Grate | Exit Grate |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RT+A (near | Corner Cover | Corner Cover |
corner) | | |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
X (directly | Drop Attack | Drop Attack |
above enemy) | | |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
X (above | Pounce | Glide Kick | Catwoman's range is shorter
enemy; middle | | |
distance) | | |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RT+Y (near | Ground | Ground | Catwoman takes a little longer
downed | Takedown | Takedown |
stunned | | |
enemy) | | |
STUN ATTACKS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B | Whip Stun | Cape Stun |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BBB (same | Ultra Stun | Ultra Stun | Catwoman's may be a slower
target) | | |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B+XXX... | Beat Down | Beat Down | Catwoman's is much faster
(repeatedly) | | |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B+AA | Aerial Attack | Aerial Attack | Safer for Catwoman
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B+AA+ | Directed | Directed | Safer for Catwoman
[LS(towards | Aerial Attack | Aerial Attack |
foe)+X] | | |
MOVEMENT & MOTION ATTACKS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LS+A (hold) | Run | Run | Catwoman is much faster
AA | Evade | Evade |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LS (towards | Redirect | Redirect |
foe)+AA | | |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LS+A(hold)+RT | Slide | Slide |
COUNTERS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Y | Counter | Counter |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Y(hold)+ | Blade Dodge | Blade Dodge |
LT(back) (x3) | | |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Y(tap)+ | Blade | Blade |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LT(back) (x3) | Takedown | Takedown |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Y(under fire) | --- | Smoke Pellet | Catwoman is missing this move
FLYING MOVES
(Catwoman cannot fly and is missing all of them)
SPECIAL COMBO MOVES
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
X+A | Whiplash | Bat Swarm | No similarities
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A+B | Whip Trip | Multiple | No similarities
| | Takedown |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
X+Y | --- | Disarm and | Catwoman is missing this move
| | Destroy |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Y+B | Takedown | Takedown |
QUICKFIRE GADGETS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LT+X | Bolas | Explosive Gel | Bolas are like Batarangs;
| | | Catwoman has no Gel analogue
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LT+B | Caltrops | REC | No similarities
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LT+Y | Whip Disarm | Batclaw (Pull | Disarm mode is similar
| | or Disarm) |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LT (tap) | Whip Trip | Batarang | No similarities; Trip is *not*
| | | like Batclaw Pull
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RT+RT | --- | Freeze Blast | Catwoman has no gadget here
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
===============================================================================
4. Analysis of new or different moves
Altered Moves
Run (hold A + LS)
Catwoman's run is much faster than Batman's. It is also completely silent;
enemies can never hear her coming like they can Batman.
Thief Vision vs. Detective Mode (RB)
Catwoman's Thief Vision is her version of Batman's Detective Mode. The most
important part of the mode is being able to see enemy outlines through walls in
Predator Challenges/areas; this is true for both. Both also turn the screen a
different color to signifify that they are active; red for Catwoman (like her
goggles, which pop onto her eyes) and blue for Batman. Unfortunately for
Catwoman, Detective Mode is better is almost every way. Here's a list of
things Detective Mode does that Thief Vision doesn't:
*Highlights interactive objects in the environment, and provides data about
them or how to use them
*Highlights enemies by color (all are white for Catwoman)
**Blue for unarmed
***Held hitting weapons (sticks, blades, shields, electric prods) highlighted
yellow
**Orange for enemies armed with guns
**Yellow highlights around armored enemies
*If an interference backpack is present, its location is visible
**Occasionally Detective Mode cuts through the interference and you'll get a
peek at your foes
*Activates automatically in smoke (from Smoke Pellet or a detonated fire
extinguisher)
The only thing superior about Thief Vision is that if jamming is present, the
screen is a lot less blurred than it is for Batman - so if you turn it on by
mistake or habit, you'll still be able to see a little.
Claw Climb vs. Grapnel (RB)
This is the vertical climbing and emergency escape move. Batman's Grapnel has
much better range, and requires one press to take you to your target; Claw
Climb requires repeated taps as you make your way upwards. Neither character
has a good way to aim the move at a particular point of interest other than
flailing around with the camera (RS). Both characters will sometimes overshoot
railings in Predator Challenges - when you want to set up for a Ledge Takedown,
you'll instead pop up in front of the armed and angry foe. Catwoman has no
attack related to this move; Batman can do a Grapnel Boost Takedown on enemies
near rail-less ledges.
Ceiling Climb (RB under wire mesh ceiling)
This move is unique to Catwoman; Batman cannot interact with these ceilings.
If you find a ceiling or walkway that looks like a chain link fence, chances
are good Catwoman can hop up to it and hang on its underside. With Thief
Vision active, these ceilings will have some blue claw marks. This is a great
way to hide from enemies - you are generally invisible unless they are spooked
by a body and looking up (this is how floor grates work too). In split-level
areas (especially the End of the Line and Lost City Predator Challenges) an
enemy climbing stairs will see you if their head is at the same level as your
hanging body. You can drop from Ceiling Climb with B, and if on a walkway
transition to the topside of the walkway with A, or onto the ledge (from near
the edge) with A.
Ceiling Climb instant takedowns (Y while Ceiling Climbing)
Catwoman has two unique Instant Takedowns while Ceiling Climbing. If above a
foe, you get an opportunity for a Silent Takedown where she drops down,
strangles him with her legs, and then drops to the floor. If below an enemy on
a walkway, you can get a (noisy) Instant Takedown where she flicks her whip up
over the edge, grabs an ankle, and yanks them over the side. This is an
abuseable move: it's very fast and you stay under the ledge, so if several guys
are in range (if they're grouped together near a body), you can tap Y again and
get three or even four of them!
Climb Down (RT + A)
Catwoman uses her whip to assist her in climbing down to ledges, so she can
perform this move much further from a ledge. If close to the ledge, it
transitions to hanging from the ledge; from further away it goes directly into
Ceiling Climb if available. While hanging from the ledge you can climb up with
A or go to Ceiling Climb with RT.
Crouch (RT)
The crouch is different in two ways. First, Batman's crouch lets him move
silently; Catwoman's full-speed run is still silent. She has no reason to
crouch for sound, only for hiding behind things. Second, Batman crouches into
a square shape and duck-walks to move, but Catwoman lays out along the ground
and crawls like a cat. This *may* make her easier to spot by enemies (because
she is stretched out long); I think this is untrue but cannot confirm it either
way.
Pounce vs. Glide Kick (X while above enemy at middle distance)
Batman glides in on his cape to kick an enemy down to the ground, and can go
for quite a distance. Catwoman makes a single leap in her version of the move
and thus has shorter range. In Predator Challenges, the distance is irrelevant
(the rooms are too small for it to matter). Catwoman does not have any of the
Glide Kick/Dive Bomb related moves (Shockwave Attack, Glide Boost Attack),
since she doesn't glide.
Ultra Stun (BBB, single target)
Ultra Stun works the same for Catwoman as Batman. I think hers is a little
slower - the whip goes all over the place so it's a little hard to tell what's
going on. I mention it only because, even if the moves were identical,
Catwoman's would still be a poor choice. Catwoman should prefer Whip Trip (tap
LT) to Ultra Stun against most foes. The exceptions are Titans (against whom
it is still necessary) and if you want the Variation Bonus.
Beat Down (B + X repeatedly, or X repeatedly against large foes)
This move, used to humiliate lone foes and take out armored enemies, is one of
Catwoman's chances to shine. Her Beat Downs are faster than Batman's. It is
especially noticeable against Lieutenants (the one-armed Abramovici twins), her
fists move so fast it's almost silly. That said, the move is still dangerously
slow to use on non-isolated foes.
Aerial Attack and Directed Aerial Attack (B+AA, B+AA+(X+LS))
Aerial Attack and its Directed variant work the same for Batman and Catwoman,
but the enemies appear to react a little differently. Besides serving as
another variation for bonuses, the move is intended to be used against shielded
foes - it knocks them to the ground and drops their shield. As Batman, it's
usually better to Disarm and Destroy the shield instead (X+Y), because then
they can't just pick the shield back up. Batman is vulnerable while performing
the Aerial Attack (unlike Redirects), and the animation is so slow that you are
fairly likely to get hit (losing your combo). For Catwoman, the move is
faster, plus enemies attack you midmove much less often. It seems they may
have toned the AI down to let Catwoman take out shielded foes without getting
hit; she can't destroy the shields so she's forced to use Aerial Attack much
more frequently. It's still too dangerous to use in the middle of a pack.
New moves - Special Combo Moves
Special Combo Moves are the moves that become available when your combo counter
has increased by 5 (or 8, lacking the upgrade) since you started the combo or
last used one of these moves. Note that the instant Takedown (Y+B) is unlisted
in the game, but works just fine for Catwoman (and identically to Batman's).
Catwoman has no X+Y move.
Whiplash (X+A)
This move is has Catwoman pull out her whip and whip it around her (whp-pssh,
whp-pssh) five times. It hits 5 discrete regions around her, spread out to
cover the whole area around her out to a medium-long distance. As the whip
peaks (you know, the whp-pssh noise) you'll be able to see a circular
distortion marking where the attack lands. Each enemy in the region that gets
hit is tagged with a small amount of damage; an enemy can be in overlapping
regions and get hit multiple times. I don't know if it hits through armor or
shields. It's a _great_ move to use for getting your score up in Combat
Challenges - it does 5 points per hit, and stacks. If you get 16 hits, its
base score (16*5 = 80) is greater than the Ground Takedown (75). It can also
increases your combo multiplier by more than one; the maximum is five. If you
hit zero guys with it, it does not count as a miss and won't affect your combo.
Whip Trip (A+B)
!!!Note: this is a totally different move from the gadget Whip Trip (tap LT)!!!
Catwoman swings her whip along at ground level, damaging any foe it hits (it
hits under shields) and tripping most of them. This move, like Whiplash, hits
enemies in an area around Catwoman. It hits in a short-to-medium circle around
her; the range is a bit less than Bat Swarm. Tripped enemies go down long
enough for one to be hit with a Ground Takedown. Be wary; not all enemies will
be tripped, and Ground Takedown is more than slow enough for you to be
interrupted with a smack to the back of the head. This move's range is
inferior to Whiplash, but the scoring is the same (5 points per foe), so if
there are lots of foes, prefer Whiplash. Whip Trip is preferred against few
foes, especially with a large combo counter - at least one enemy is likely to
be tripped and isolated enough to risk a Ground Takedown for big points. If
Whip Trip hits no enemies, it does not count as a miss and won't affect your
combo. Whip Trip, like Whiplash, can add up to 5 to your combo count if you
hit enough foes.
New moves - Gadget Moves
Catwoman has far fewer gadgets than Batman, and they are mostly dissimilar.
Catwoman has only Bolas (like Batarangs), Caltrops (unique), and her Whip (some
similarities to the Batclaw). Of the combat-relevant gadgets, the Smoke
Pellet, Explosive Gel, REC, specialty Batarangs, Firearm Jammer/Mine Detonator,
and Freeze weapons are missing entirely. Also, Catwoman's gadgets are not
powered up once you enter FreeFlow Focus (red combo counter), nor does their
use lose Focus.
Bolas (LT + X)
Bolas function almost identically to standard Batarangs. The two differences
are A) Bolas travel in straight lines (which I think is purely cosmetic), and
B) due to the different Quickfire controls (LT + X, instead of tap LT),
Catwoman can fire off Bolas a lot faster than Batman can fire Batarangs. It is
generally unsafe to try for more than one Batarang at a time with Batman
because the LT trigger may not count two presses, and you'll get stuck pulling
out your equipped gadget and ruining your combo. Catwoman can fire two Bolas
easily before continuing the combo. This is purely a controller issue and not
an instance of Catwoman's superior speed; you may get different results on
controllers other than the standard XBOX 360 controller. A missed Bola will
count as a miss and break your combo. A hit adds one to your combo and is
worth 10 points.
Caltrops (LT + B)
Catwoman's Caltrops gadget lets her "poison" the ground for a small area (about
8 feet in diameter); enemies walking into this area may trip and fall to the
ground dazed. Generally the caltrop trap will stay on the ground until an
enemy disturbs it. In combat, most enemies in the caltrops will fall to the
ground, and the caltrops will fade soon after any enemy passes through them.
In predator mode, the enemies will almost always see the caltrops, make a
sweeping motion with their feet, and the caltrop trap will disappear. Note
that disarmed caltrops may stay visible, but won't do anything; also note that
caltrops are animated individually by only work as an area-of-effect. Caltrops
never count as an "attack" for your combo meter, but the Quickfire move does
count as an action so your combo won't die. Throwing them down never counts as
a miss, whether they're ever stepped in or not. Catwoman is totally unaffected
by caltrops. Catwoman has an ammo limitation for Caltrops, unlike Bolas. She
is limited to three in a Challenge or room; they seem to regenerate slowly in
the overworld. I suggesting ignoring the Caltrops gadget; it knocks the
enemies down slowly and unpredictably, adding an unwelcome element of chance to
your FreeFlow battle targeting - you don't want a strike to miss because the
enemy decided to fall down instead! Use Caltrops either very early (so that
there are a ton of targets) or very late (so that you can Ground Takedown one
while the others are tripping too).
There is a Predator Challenge Medal to use Caltrops to trip a foe and follow it
with a Ground Takedown on a few levels. There are two good ways to get this to
work reliably. The best method is to disarm a foe (Whip Disarm, LT + Y), then
throw Caltrops at their feet. The "get my gun back" AI routine overwhelms the
"don't walk through caltrops" routine, and they'll immediately trip and you can
do the Ground Takedown. The other method is to put Caltrops at the bottom of a
ladder, and then make sure they see you. They'll leap without looking, and
fall to the ground at the bottom of the ladder.
Whip Disarm (LT + Y)
This functions similarly to Batman's Batclaw Disarm. It will pull more weapons
than Batman's move, though: it will pull blunt and bladed weapons as well as
guns. If used on an unarmed enemy, it behaves like Whip Trip (tap LT). It
counts as a miss against shielded and stun-prod-armed foes. Note that this
does not count as a gadget variation independently of Whip Trip. It will not
add to your combo count.
Enemy armament | Whip Disarm | Batclaw Disarm/Pull
unarmed | trips | pulls enemy
gun | disarms | disarms
blunt object | disarms | pulls enemy
blade | disarms | pulls enemy
stun prod | misses | pulls enemy
shield | misses | misses
armored (unarmed) | trips | misses
Whip Trip (tap LT)
!!!Note: this is a totally different move from the Special Combo Whip Trip
(A+B)!!! Catwoman will use her whip to trip up an enemy, resulting in an
instant ground dazed state. This is one of Catwoman's best strengths over
Batman; the move is absurdly powerful in Predator, useful in Combat, and Batman
has nothing that quite matches it. The trip effect works on any unshielded
regular foe, including armored enemies. It is great for taking out armored
enemies in Predator mode, and a useful way to transition to Ground Takedown in
combat. Batman's similar moves include the Batclaw Pull (LT +Y) followed by
Batclaw Slam (X) to knock down a foe - but this won't work on armored enemies,
and it just disarms enemies with guns. He can also shoot armored foes with the
REC (LT + B) to stun them and knock them down, but it just stuns unarmored
foes, makes a lot of noise, and blasts them away from you (often out of range
for a fast followup Ground Takedown). Keep this move in mind in Predator
Extreme Challenges for the many armored enemies - it's the best replacement for
Silent Takedown, which won't work on armored enemies. Note that this move does
not count as a gadget variation independently of Whip Disarm. It will not add
to your combo.
===============================================================================
5. Combat differences summary
Catwoman's combat differences from Batman are dominated by two factors. First,
she is more fragile than he is - her health bar maxes out at 2 bonuses (1.5x
starting health) instead of 4 (2x starting health). The second factor is that
she is much faster than he is. This makes Catwoman harder to play in general,
because mistakes are more punishing, but the extra speed means that she has
more potential in the hands of a skilled player. At the time of this writing,
the high scores on the online leaderboards for Combat Challenges are about 4
times higher for Catwoman than Batman. The strategies in this guide are aimed
at getting the Achievements, but not necessarily to the top of the
leaderboards.
To learn about the flow of combat in general, read AbaddonOnion2's excellent
Batman: Arkham City Combat Mechanics Guide. I will summarize the important
points here:
1) To get high scores on Combat Challenges, and to get lots of EXP and
replacement health in Story Mode, the key is to keep your combo counter high.
2) Keeping the counter high means: always do something (a Strike, Redirect,
or other special move) within 1 second of the end of the last move, do not
perform a move that hits no enemies, and do not get hit.
3) Abuse Redirect (AA + LS towards foe) constantly. Your average combat
will look like this: Strike, Strike, Strike (enters FreeFlow), Redirect,
Strike, Redirect, Strike... with special moves interspersed where appropriate.
You are invincible to most attacks (Titans are the main exception) while
Redirecting. This gives you a moment to plan your next attack and keeps the
combo going.
In combat, you will be trying to never get hit, so Catwoman's lower health
isn't too important. Her extra speed will be very useful in long-distance
attacks in FreeFlow.
===============================================================================
6. Enemy strategy differences
Normal foes
Normal unarmed enemies are treated the same for Catwoman as Batman: beat on
them and redirect over them, they're just there to soak up damage and provide
points!
Blunt object armed
Blunt objects include pipes, hammers, and bats. A hit from the enemy will make
the screen blurry for a while. Catwoman should handle these guys the same as
Batman, as if they were unarmed. You do have the option of disarming them with
Whip Disarm (LT +Y) but there's no reason to.
Blade armed
Blades include knives and broken bottles. I am not including Assassin's swords
here. These guys should be treated the same as Batman treats them: as if they
were unarmed. Like blunt objects, you can disarm blades with Whip Disarm (LT +
Y); there is no reason to. I suggest never bothering with Blade Dodge and
Blade Dodge Takedown - it's a losing proposition because the timing is
challenging and the reward isn't worth it. Redirect over them to interrupt the
attack and them smack them in the back of the head instead.
Shielded
Shielded foes are individually a little easier for Catwoman to defeat than
Batman, because her Aerial Attack (B+AA) is faster and safer due to less
aggressive AI. However, the shield itself is much more dangerous, because
Catwoman can't destroy it with Disarm and Destroy (X+Y), a move she is missing.
Any shield on the field will stay there for all rounds of a Combat Challenge,
forcing you to Aerial Attack (or Special Combo Whip Trip (A+B) it off the
enemies again, and again, and again. Also note that Whip Trip (tap LT) does
not work against shielded enemies - they lower the shield to protect their
ankles. It is gratifying to use Special Combo Instant Takedown (Y+B) on these
guys-Catwoman grabs the shield and slams them upside the head with it-but it
won't hurt the shield.
Stun prod armed
Stun prod enemies are a little easier for Catwoman than Batman due to her
speed. However, like with the shields, you cannot get the electric prod itself
off the field - it's there to stay. The lack of Disarm and Destroy really
hurts when you accidentally punch a Stun prod armed enemy. The game is more
forgiving than Arkham Asylum was about hitting them in the back - a strike from
the side from a distance (via FreeFlow) will hit them, but it's dangerous to
try this regularly. You should do a Special Combo Instant Takedown (Y+B) on
these guys whenever you need a mood boost-Catwoman grabs the prod and jabs it
into their back to take them out!
Armored
Catwoman's options for armored thugs are a little different but equally
effective. Catwoman's Beat Down is faster, meaning she can pull one off in
more crowded environments - Beat Down is great if you can do one early because
it will get your combo counter up by 14 or so. She also has Whip Trip (tap
LT), which gets them on the ground for a Ground Takedown (RT+Y). She is
missing the REC, which blasts them to the ground - great in an emergency, but
since they often land too far away for a safe Ground Takedown, it's not a move
you'll miss.
Catwoman has an easier time with armored thugs in Predator Mode because Whip
Trip is so much easier to use and quieter than the REC blast. Note that Thief
Vision will not highlight armor the way Detective Mode does - so always
doublecheck your target in Predator Challenges when attempting a failable
takedown like Silent Takedown, Corner Takedown, or the Drop/Pounce Attack.
Assassins
Assassins are considerably easier for Catwoman to take out than for Batman,
because her speed exceeds theirs. Note that, like with Batman, they can dodge
most attacks - these won't count against you as a miss if they do the purple-
smoke dodge animation. Also note that they cannot be kept down on the ground -
Whip Trip (both variants) will connect, but they'll get up instantly, so don't
try a Ground Takedown.
Lieutenants (Abramovici twins, the one-armed huge guys)
These two are a greater threat to Catwoman than Batman due to her smaller
health bar. They pack enough punch to do serious damage to her. That said,
they're not too hard to take out once you know the trick. You may be tempted
to leave them for last, but in Combat Challenges, you should aim for the
lieutenants first. Any attack on them automatically becomes Beat Down-and as
you should know, Catwoman's is blazing fast. You should get into the habit of
doing this: 5 or more strikes (XXXXX...), redirect overhead as the Lieutenant
winds up to sweep their weapon (AA), Special Combo Whip Trip (A+B) to trip
nearby enemies (so they'll leave you alone), then continue striking. This
strategy works for Batman as well, with Bat Swarm in place of Whip Trip. Bat
Swarm is superior for the purpose, but Catwoman's greater speed makes up the
difference. You should be able to get a combo of 50 or so by the time the
lieutenant is dead: a great way to start a stage!
Titans
Titans are much tougher for Catwoman than Batman. For one, she can't take hits
from them like Batman can. For two, she can't ride them! That means no Rodeo
Strikes for free hits (and combo counts) while you invincibly ride your mutated
death steed (and no Titan Charges or Ground Takedowns). To get rid of them,
try to get a combo of 5 (to charge a Whip Trip), get close, do an Ultra Stun
(BBB), do the Whip Trip (A+B) to distract nearby foes, then get 8 hits on the
Titan. Do this three times and they'll go down for good.
===============================================================================
7. Combat Challenges special notes
For getting a high score on the Combat Challenges, incorporate the advice on
moves and enemies above. This section contains just a few pointers specific to
the Combat Challenges.
* Catwoman's gadgets, of which there are only three, do not have to be used in
ONE combo to get the variation bonus. Using all three anywhere in battle is an
easy 1000 points. That said, the Caltrops can do more harm than good if they
cause your targets to fall down so that other attacks miss. Use Caltrops
either very early (so that there are a ton of targets) or very late (so that
you can Ground Takedown one while the others are tripping too).
* Special Combo Whip Trip and Whiplash both hit many foes. Using them late in
a combo can rack up a ton of points. Each gains 5 points per hit; if you hit
16 guys that's an 80 point base, more than Ground Takedown! Unfortunately,
both moves do damage (much more than Bat Swarm), so as you use them you'll find
your pool of enemies dropping.
* When doing the Campaign mode, ALWAYS save Super Powered for levels with
shields and stun prods, especially Prison Riot and Lost City. Catwoman's
inability to break these items (due to the lack of Disarm and Destroy) is
negated by this bonus effect. Also, the Predator version of the effect-crawl
faster-is wasted on her.
===============================================================================
8. Predator Challenges special notes
This section features a few pointers for the Predator Challenges. I don't
offer walkthroughs in text because Youtube videos already do it better!
* If you have enemies to spare (more than you need for medals), you can take
them out FAST with the Ceiling Climb Ledge Takedown. While underslung below a
walkway, you can tap Y to take out a guy above you. If there are several thugs
in range (due to them clustering around a body you left as bait), you can take
several out before they get a chance to run after you - they can't move while
your Takedown is in progress.
* Remember that your Run (hold A+LS) is silent. Run right up to guys before
starting Silent Takedowns if you choose.
* Catwoman is a little TOO acrobatic - it can be challenging to leap to where
you wanted, since she parkours all over the place instead of sedately gliding
like Batman. This is true both of Claw Climb leaps and just leaping off
objects in the environment. Be careful, and remember you can tap B to hop down
(as opposed to moving off gently with LS or fast with LS + A).
* Heat Signature Conceal is supposedly built into the Batsuit but it works for
Catwoman too! So long as you don't move, you can't be seen by the thermal
vision guys looking at gargoyles.
* Catwoman is missing the Sonic Batarang - this makes it tough to lure enemies
to a particular location. You can sometimes use a Bola for the purpose -
sometimes they'l turn and look at its source, but sometimes they'll look at
where it lands.
* Catwoman does not have to open duct gratings - they all start open. She is
missing the Air Vent Takedown that Batman has.
* Catwoman has no explosive gel; accordingly all explosive gel walls are
missing. This makes a big difference in Natural Selection, because the upper
area with two Weak Wooden Walls is instead open on one side.
* Police Brutality (Extreme) has a very tough Bullet Proof medal - take no
damage. To make this easier, get the thug with the Jammer first. He'll walk
along the grates 10 seconds into the level, so if you can beat him to the
grates he's an easy takedown. From where you start, the grates look like this:
/------Y---\ |
| | |
| | |
| \-X-/
If you can get to point X within 8 seconds (run straight there, then drop
down from the railing with B), you can get in the grate (RT + A) then do a
takedown a few seconds later at point Y.
* Top of the World (Extreme) requires you to leave the Jammer-equipped thug for
last, meaning you have no Thief Vision. The easiest way to thin the herd fast
is by abusing Ledge Takedown-and the fact that you don't die from falling! Run
off either side of the starting area and Claw Climb up to the gargoyles. Swing
on Gargoyles until you reach a platform with a guy on it. Rotate your camera
so you are looking at the ledge in front of this guy. Drop from the gargoyle
directly into the air, not onto the platform - as you fall, you should get a
Claw Climb target on the ledge. This takes some practice. If you miss, you'll
either Claw Climb back to the gargoyle (if you choose to hit RB) or you'll
climb up somewhere else in the level (no damage) and can try again. You can
also try shimmying along ledges around the whole level, but this takes too
long. Anyway, once you're on this ledge, take the guy out with Ledge Takedown
(Y). This brings friends, so shimmy away until the "Enemies will look at
ledges when they see a body suspended in the air" message disappears. Wait for
them to turn away from the ledge, then hit one in the back with another Ledge
Takedown. Immediately drop (B) to invincibly escape! If you can catch a
Thermal Vision thug on a different platform later, you can get several guys
with this trick. You can't get more than three per platform because Ledge
Takedown is disable where a body already hangs. You only need two guys for
medals in this level (Beat Down one and Caltrops another), so get as many as 6
this way if you can - it's much safer than crawling around inside since they
are always on camera with this method. In Campaign, be sure to take No Gadgets
here if available - it won't hurt since you can't use Thief Vision anyway.
===============================================================================
9. Story Mode walkthrough
Catwoman's story is split into four sections. First is a prologue to the main
story; second and third are interludes while Batman is otherwise occupied, and
then finally she has an epilogue that bleeds into free roaming for Riddler
Trophies. Note this section does have spoilers...
Part 1: Two-Faced Thugs
Part 1 is very short and simple. There are some of Two-Face's thugs; KO them,
and then open the safe to trigger a cutscene ending the level. Two-Face will
capture you, and Catwoman will leave the story until Batman saves her in the
Courthouse.
Part 2: Arkham City Sirens
Catwoman starts on the northeast end of the city, looking at a giant door to
the Confiscated Goods vault. Catwoman can't pass up a chance to rob the vault,
so she tries to decide how to break in. Ultimately she decides on Poison Ivy,
who has an enclave at the north end of the city.
Before visiting Ivy, you must drop in on Catwoman's apartment to collect her
"stuff" - her Bolas and Caltrops gadgets. Travel along the rooftops to your
quest marker; you'll find 4 guys in a large metal cage. From the top of the
cage, duck and enter through a grate, and get a free Takedown with Y (Combat
Takedown = Instant Takedown, except you're forced to do the Knockout Smash). I
suggest taking out the one with the gun if one is armed (they are on New Game
+). Take out the other three, and then use Thief Vision to identify which
apartment is yours (look for the blue claw marks and live cat). Tap A to
activate the scene to get your Bolas and Caltrops.
Hop back to the ceiling (RB), climb out a grate (A), and then follow your
marker to Ivy's lair. Once you get close, you'll see her building (covered in
vines and green gas) is connected by a metal walkway to another roof with three
armed thugs patrolling it. These thugs can be pretty challenging because
Catwoman is too fragile to take many bullets, and there's no good escape route
if they see you (other than leaping into the water). I suggest doing a Silent
Takedown on one on the upper walkway, then Climb Down and wait for one of the
other two to notice the body. Both will run to look at the body, at which
point you can get one and possibly both with the underslung Ledge Takedown. If
you only get one, you're ok; the remaining guy you can throw Bolas at until he
falls over or you're close enough to punch him out.
Climb *under* the walkway leading over to Poison Ivy's lair - it's an under
entrance so there's an excuse to keep Batman out. Once you pass the iron bars
above you can climb over to the top of the walkway and enter the door normally.
Next up is basically a short Combat Challenge against some of Ivy's thugs.
She's not happy to see you so she knocks you into a pit (where'd it come from?
I don't know). First, there are 4 guys to take out. The room starts flooding
with gas when the fourth goes down - hop to the ceiling (RB) then climb up with
A to reach the next level. This level has 6 guys, probably with some armored
or weapon-wielding thugs mixed in. Fight them as close to the ledge as you
can, because big FreeFlow kicks and punches can send them over the edge for an
early KO. Once they're done, climb up again as before and face 8 guys, plus
interference from Ivy. Ivy's plants shoot the same pain-spore things they shot
in Arkham Asylum to interrupt your combos. Keep moving with Redirect and
they'll cause you no trouble. Once the last guy goes down, a cutscene begins,
and you'll get the Arkham City Sirens achievement.
Part 3: Pick Pocket
Either Part 2 took forever, or poor Catwoman has been in Ivy's clutches
(literally) for a long time, because Part 3 picks up with you still all tied
up. Ivy gives in to Catwoman's request for help breaking into the Confiscated
Goods vault in return for a promise to get an item for Ivy from the vault as
well. Ivy releases you. Travel back to where Part 2 started; you'll find a
few TYGER guards reporting on the vault break-in. Usually one is armored, one
has a gun, and one a shield. Take them out, and then enter the sewer. Follow
the sewer to the vault.
The Confiscated Goods vault is basically a Predator Challenge for Catwoman:
take the guys out without being seen. First, you have to steal keycards for
the vault computer. There are 5 identical keycards (on 5 guards); you need to
steal any three without being seen. You can Ceiling Climb along invisibly
until one is alone, drop behind him, steal the card (I believe the button
prompt is Y), then hop up again. You can also get the two right in front of
the vault at once if you time it well. Either way, once you've got 3, go back
to the computer where you started. This will unlock the vault, but also alert
the guards to your presence.
Re-enter the vault area (preferably via the ceiling) and take out the 5 guards.
I prefer to Ceiling Takedown the first, Corner the next as he comes running,
then hide until the third reverts to searching AI. Get him however you feel
like it; this will cause the two door guards to start looking. Once they're
gone you can enter the vault.
There are two items of interest in the vault. Ivy's flower, on the left, can
be ignored (or destroyed if you're feeling spiteful). You apparently cannot
return it as promised. On the right are two briefcases. Pick them up to
trigger the Pick Pocket achievement...
...and a whole bunch of TYGER guards. This set of guards is fully decked out -
most have armor, a shield, or a stun rod. Take them out and re-collect your
briefcases, then walk straight forward to the end of the room. Catwoman will
be able to see Batman's body under concrete, where he has fallen in battle
after Protocol 10 took out the Sionis Steel Mill where he battled the Joker.
Catwoman is faced with a choice: does she save Batman to pay him back for that
little acid vat incident (or simply because of their romantic history, if you
prefer it that way), or does she escape with "the score of a lifetime"? It
doesn't really matter what you choose, the game makes you save Batman. I
suggest trying to leave Arkham City (by walking out the doors to the right) -
once you're up the steps, the end credits will play for a while. Eventually
Oracle's voice will make a plaintive radio call for help, saying that Joker has
killed everybody without Batman to stop him. The game will then "rewind" and
let you 'choose' the right path: dropping the briefcases and saving Batman. Go
back the way you came; once you enter the sewer area the path Ivy carved you
will collapse. Once you exit the sewer the game will cut to the Steel Mill and
return control to Batman.
Part 4: Family Jewels
Catwoman starts her fourth and final section overlooking the entrance to the
Monarch Theater, after watching Batman bring Joker's body out. She decides to
collect her loot and get out of town. Head back to your apartment. When you
try to enter, you'll discover somebody set you up the bomb! When you awake,
take the four guys out and head over to the Museum to take out Two-Face and
recover the treasure he stole from you.
You can avoid most enemies on the way to the museum, but you'll need to take
out the guards on the door. One will have a shield - remember to use Instant
Takedown (Y+B) or Aerial Attack (B+AA) on him. Head inside when you're done.
There will be 5 guys with a few knives at the bottom of the stairs; they should
pose no problem. Feel free to mock the Penguin!
In the Gladiator Pit, there will be a mob of 21 guys waiting for you. There
are no stun rods, shields, or armored enemies in the group, so it's really your
chance to get that combo counter sky-high. You should be able to break 100 and
may be able to top 150!
Move into the next room (slide under the grate and Claw Climb up the elevator
shaft if the electricity is on. Enter the Torture Chamber. You'll need to
cross it somehow, but you've no Freeze Blast/Batclaw and no Line Launcher, so
you can't get to the War Room (west) or the Iceberg Lounge (north).
Fortunately you can get to the Armory to the east.
Notice the cage in the SW corner of the room. It will have a trophy in it if
you haven't been there yet. Use Climb Down (RT+A) to flip over to the bottom
of the grating and climb along until you find a grating to flip through. Look
up and you'll see another walkway above you to hang on to. Hop up with Ceiling
Climb (RB) and make your way north then east to the Armory entrance. There
will be 3 gun-toting guards outside.
Entering the Armory will start a boss battle with Two-Face. This battle is a
little like the Mr. Freeze battle. Two-Face has a health bar, but there are
also regular guards patrolling like a normal Predator room. The guards do NOT
have heartbeat monitors, so you can take them out freely, and nobody will
notice unless they stumble on the body. Also, Two-Face will call for
reinforcements whenever he feels threatened-he'll yell "What are you doing?
Help me!" or something similar. These reinforcements appear in the area near
the door, so avoid that area if there are fewer than three guards running
around. Two-Face starts with 6 guards.
Here's a strategy that works for me:
1) Run along the far east side of the room until you encounter a guard walking
east, right next to the two Weak Wooden Walls. Perform a Silent Takedown from
behind. (1 down)
2) Hop down through the hole between the walls, then run west and north until
you can get up to the ceiling (Ceiling Climb, RB). Someone will walk into
range shortly for a Ceiling Takedown. (2 down).
3) There are two more guards patrolling the lower area. Nobody upstairs is
likely to see you - run around behind them and take them out silently as fast
as you can manage. (3 or 4 down).
4) Once you've gotten the second guy downstairs, someone will probably have
noticed the body of #1. This will call all the guards up to that body. Two-
Face will also start firing grenades around from the bridge in the middle of
the room.
5) As soon as the guards are clear, stand on the lower level just east of the
bridge, and Claw Climb your way onto the bridge ledge. This should offer a
Ledge Takedown on Two-Face. It won't kill him but he'll be thrown to the lower
level and lose 1/4 of his health.
6) Wait for Two-Face to get up (he's immune to Ground Takedown), and punch him
three times to get another quarter of his health (stunning him again).
7) By this time, the guards upstairs may have come to save Two-Face, or you may
get another shot at him. Either way, run away once they come close.
8) From here, fixed strategies won't work as the AI becomes unpredictable. Any
time Two-Face is out of range of his guards, zip in, punch thrice, and zip away
again. The battle ends on the last punch, so feel free to do a kamikaze attack
where you're being shot at but he goes down first.
Two-Face will brag that he gave away one part in two of the loot he stole from
you. Catwoman vows to get the rest of it back.
At this point, Catwoman's story is sort of over. Control will revert to Batman
outside the Museum, but you're right on a character swap point (notice the cats
on the roof). Switch back to Catwoman to finish up her last mission.
There are 16 guys scattered outdoors in the Bowery and Park Row. With Thief
Vision on, you can see them marked with a jewel above their heads and a pulsing
red sphere (like Bane's Titan containers). They look normal without Thief
Vision on. Take out those 16 any way you please and the mission will be
complete and the Family Jewels achievement will be yours! Most of the gun-
toting henchmen are easy prey for Silent Takedowns to avoid engaging groups
with guns. The one on the roof of the tall building with a helipad can be
gotten with a Ledge Takedown. Most of the rest are in packs of gunless foes at
street level who pose little threat. Also, once you have the jewel-carrier in
a group, you can feel free to run away without KOing the rest.
At this point, Catwoman has no other missions. You should drop in on Mr.
Freeze and his wife, and also Poison Ivy, for amusing cutscenes. You can also
collect all the Catwoman Riddler trophies for the Sphinx's Riddle achievement.
===============================================================================
10. Copyright and contact info
You can contact me with corrections, suggestions, strategies, or proofreading
edits at stillnotelf ==at-symbol== gmail ==you-know-it's-a-dot== com.
Copyright 2012 Steven Lewis. I have borrowed GameFAQs' suggested copyright
notice: This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for
personal, private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise
distributed publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on
any other web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited,
and a violation of copyright.
All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document (such at Batman,
Catwoman, and the game title Batman: Arkham City) are owned by their respective
trademark and copyright holders.